Annotations upon the remaining historicall part of the Old Testament. The second part. to wit, the books of Joshua, Judges, the two books of Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles, and the books of Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther : wherein first, all such passages in the text are explained as were thought likely to be questioned by any reader of ordinary capacity : secondly, in many clauses those things are discovered which are needfull and usefull to be known ... and thirdly, many places that might at first seem to contradict one another are reconciled ... / by Arthur Jackson.

CHAP. IX.

Vers, 1. THe princes came to me, saying, The people of Israel, and the priests, and the Levites have not separated themselves, &c.] It being well known that the principall cause of Ezraes coming was to reform such abuses as were crept in amongst them contrary to the law; some of the princes that were best affected came presently to him, and informed him of this, as one of the most hainous evils tolerated amongst them; to wit, that not the people onely but the princes also, yea, the priests and Levites that could not pretend ignorance of the law, had married wives of those idolatrous nations their neighbours about them, and so also were tainted by that means in many things with their abominati∣ons: Some Expositours conceive, that this was done before their return out of Ba∣bylon; and indeed though these nations here mentioned, the Canaanites, Moabites, Ammonites, &c. dwelt farre from Babylon, yet we must consider, that many of them were carried away by Nebuchadnezzar as the Jews were, Jerem. 25.9. Be∣hold, I will send and take all the families of the north, saith the Lord, and Nebu∣chadnezzar the king of Babylon my servant, and will bring them against this land, and against all these nations round about: But I rather think they had fallen into this sinne since their return from Babylon, being sore corrupted with a very little rest, as Exra implieth in his prayer, vers. 8—10. however not onely single persons but even those that were married offended herein, to the great vexation of their for∣mer wives, Mal. 2.11, 13. Judah hath profaned the holinesse of the Lord, which he loved, and hath married the daughter of a strange god—And this have ye done again, covering the altar of the Lord with tears, &c. which is meant of the tears of their first wives; and so farre was this corruption spread at present, that amongst others, even the sonnes of Joshua the sonne of Jozadak were in the transgression, chap. 10.18. And among the sonnes of the priests there were found that had strange wives, namely, of the sonnes of Joshua the sonne of Jozadak.

Vers. 2. The hand of the princes and rulers hath been chief in this trespasse.] That is, they which should have restrained the people from this wickednesse have had the chiefest hand in it, to wit, as having been boldest in this transgression, and ringleaders to the rest of the people.

Vers. 3, I rent my garment, and my mantle, &c.] That is, both the coat that was girded close to his body, and the loose mantle which he wore over that, and this doubtlesse is thus expressed, to shew how passionately grieved and offended he was to hear that his brethren had thus grossely transgressed the law of God. Con∣cerning this custome of rending their garments, see Gen. 37.20.

Vers. 4. Then were assembled unto me every one that trembled at the words of the God of Israel, &c.] It seems the report being quickly carried about, how mightily Ezra was afflicted and displeased, when he heard how his brethren had ta∣ken wives of the idolatrous nations; so many of the godly inhabitants that heard

of it, being themselves afraid of the judgements of God threatned in his word, came presently in to him, partly to comfort him, and partly to advise with him what was fit to be done; which is the rather here inserted, to make way to that which follows (which is added yet further, to set forth how mightily he was trou∣bled with these tydings) And I sate astonied untill the evening sacrifice: though the brethren came in, it is like to comfort him, yet neither there presence nor any thing they could say, did any whit move him, but till the evening sacrifice there he sate a∣mongst them, like one that had neither life nor soule in him; so overwhelmed he was with grief and astonishment at that which had been told him.

Vers. 5. Having rent my garment, and my mantle, I fell upon my knees, &c.] That is, having before rent my garments, vers. 3. in that sad plight I fell down up∣on my knees before the people, and prayed unto the Lord.

Vers 6. Our iniquities are increased over our head, &c.] That is, they are in∣numerable, we are even drowned over head and eares in sinne; the expression is much like that, Psalme 38.4. mine iniquities are gone over my head, and to the same purpose is the next clause also, and our trespasse is grown up unto the heavens, that is, it is as great as may be, and such as must needs make a loud cry in the hea∣vens for judgement to be poured forth upon us.

Vers. 7. As it is this day.] Having said that they had been delivered to capti∣vitie, and to a spoil, and to confusion of face, he addes, as it is this day, because some of them were still in captivity, and the rest that were returned, were in a low and sad condition, and lay under a great deal of shame and reproach.

Vers. 8. And now for a little space grace hath been shewed from the Lord our God, &c.] This is added as an aggravation of their sinne, that having been but a while freed from those punishments which their former sinnes had brought upon them, they should so soon venture to expose themselves to Gods dis∣pleasure.

To leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us a nail in his holy place, &c.] In these words Ezra sheweth wherein grace had been shewed them from the Lord their God, to wit, first, in that he had left them a remnant to escape, whereas he might justly have destroyed them all, he had preserved a seed a remnant that were delivered out of their captivity, and brought back again into their own countrey: Secondly, that he had given them a nail in his holy place, whereby it meant either that God had given them a prince of their own nation, to wit, Zerubbabel (for the princes and magistrates are compared to pinnes and nails, because the safety of their kingdome depends upon them, and the good successe of their great affairs, rest much upon their wisedome and care; whence is that which the Lord saith of Elia∣kim, Isaiah 22.23, 24. And I will fasten him as a nail in a sure place, &c. and they shall hang upon him all the glory of his fathers house: or else that he had gi∣ven them some prop and support of their faith and hope, something that might en∣courage them to wait for some better dayes then yet they had seen; or else rather that he had in some measure settled them again, and given them a resting place in his holy land, city, and Temple: the metaphor is taken from the pinnes and nails wherewith they used to fasten the cords of their tents in the earth when they went to pitch their tents, as intending to abide a while in that place; or else from those nails

wherewith we use to fasten any thing and which we strike into our walls to hang, things upon.

That our God may lighten our eyes, and give us a little reviving in our bon∣dage.] To wit, by refreshing our hearts, according to that which is said of Jona∣than, when in his faintnesse he was refreshed with eating a little honey, 1. Sam. 14.29. See I pray you how mine eyes have been enlightened, because I tasted a little of this honey: or by restoring us to life, who were in our slavery and captivity in Ba∣bylon, as men dead and buried. Ezek. 37.12. Thus saith the Lord, Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel.

Vers. 9. To set up the house of our God, and to repair the desolations thereof, &c.] Two particulars are here mentioned, wherein Ezra acknowledged that God had intended mercy to them in the sight of the kings of Persia, and wherewith he had thereupon revived their hearts, as it is said in the foregoing words, to wit, First, that they had liberty given them to set up the house of God, and to repair the desola∣tions thereof; where, by repairing the desolations of Gods house is meant, both the repairing of the Temples ruines, and also principally, the renewing of the joyfull assemblies of Gods people, and the sacred imployments of his worship and service there: And secondly, that there was given them a wall in Judah and Jerusalem, that is some protection and defence against their enemies, as a wall or penne to a flock of sheep. The walls of Jerusalem were not yet built, and therefore it cannot be meant of them, but by the wall given them, is meant the fen∣cing of them from dangers, partly by the king of Persias favour, who had granted them his royall protection against those enemies that formerly would not suffer them to proceed in building the house of their God, and partly by Gods awing their spirits, that they durst not oppose what the king had commanded.

Vers. 10. And now, O our God, what shall we say after this? &c.] That is, af∣ter this great goodnesse and mercy thou hast showen unto us, what shall we say, that notwithstanding all this we should again forsake thy commandments as we have done?

Vers. 15. O Lord God of Israel thou art righteous, for we remained yet escaped, as it is this day, &c.] Either the drift of these words is to shew that continuing in this condition they were now in, they could expect no other, but to be utterly de∣stroyed; and that because God was righteous though he had spared them, and they stood guilty of a grosse sinne: or else, in this conclusion of his prayer, Ezra justifies God, and layes all the blame upon themselves; so intimating, that all their hope was in his goodnesse and mercy, and readinesse to forgive poore penitent sinners: as if he should have said, O Lord thou art righteous in all thy dealing with us, what thou hast inflicted upon us hath been justly inflicted; yea of thine own mercy, and according to thy righteousnesse and faithfulnesse in performing thy gracious promi∣ses, thou hast reserved a remnant of us: But as for us we are here before thee, wai∣ting indeed for thy mercy, but in our sinnes, and so deserving to be destroyed; for e∣ven because of this wickednesse which lyeth upon us, if thou shouldest enter into judgement with us, we are not able to stand it out and to abide the tryall.